Alone Again
by MindlessRiddle
Summary: We all know how "Journey's End" ended, and it left most of us in tears. But we never really got to see the Doctor's reaction. So, here's (in theory) how Ten reacted to losing Rose yet again, and the loss of Donna's memories. TenthDoctor Whump.


**Hey guys, sorry, been how long since we've updated and/or uploaded a story? Oops. Heh, anyway M (my friend) and I not too long ago got the chance to watch BBC's ****_Doctor Who_****, and we love it. We got to watch all 7 series before the 50th anniversary, and that was brilliant too! We loved the chemistry between Tennant and Smith. And now that Matt's gone and it's time for Twelve to step up, I thought it'd be great to write something up to reminescence one of the previous Doctors. I chose Ten, after all, he's my favourite (Eleven is M's) and decided to write about ****_Journey's End_****. The episode had a great ending for the series, but I always feel like they never give you a chance to really feel something after a companion (or Doctor) leaves, they just say "Well, that happened, sorry. But we gotta move on..." Which is actually what the Doctor does, if you think about it. He's always on the run; so that he can't let himself get caught up in emotion. So, they do the same thing so that you can feel what the Doctor feels to connect with his character. Which is good, but once in a while you should let it out, and this is how the story came to be.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own DW, but I wish I owned a David Tennant...**

**Recommendation: I recommend listening to ****_Echo_**** by Jason Walker...kind of describes Ten and this story. **  
**-/».**•o

They were gone..._again_. He had to say goodbye to Rose..._again_, erase Donna's memory of him, bid his farewell to Jack, Mickey, and Martha.

But they were better off without him, he supposed. Jack and Mickey could get back to Torchwood, save the world when he wasn't there. Martha could finally get that Doctor degree; if she wanted to. And _Rose_...Rose could have the life she always wanted with the Doctor. The life he couldn't have.

A tear streamed down his cheek, one of many that he bottled up.

He wasn't mad at the other Doctor, he just envied him. Nine hundred years was a long time to live, and sometimes he just got tired of it.

But he pushed that to the back of his mind.

Quickly, the Doctor used his arm to wipe away the tear in frustration. He couldn't cry. _Time Lords_ couldn't cry.

He heard the Tardis' faint hum, embracing him to make him feel better.

The Doctor got up from the seat in the Tardis and made his way to the console.

_Run_. He would run away; it always seemed to work for him- running. Whenever it became too much he would run, bottle up his emotion in the back of his mind, and put on a smile. A façade, that no one would see through. So he didn't have to be alone.

_Everyone leaves_, he knew that, everyone withers and dies when the time is right.

But the time was never _'right'_ for him, it seemed. He, above all knew that- he was a _Time_ Lord, after all.

And yet, he never could prevent it. The Doctor would do his best to keep his companions out of harms way, of course. But that was hard to do when you were the Doctor; saving lives and worlds, _galaxies_, on a daily basis.

The Doctor had never asked for anything in retern. Hell, most time people wouldn't even utter a '_Thank you_'. But he didn't mind, he really didn't. The Doctor didn't need thanks, or money, or a reward. He did it to pay his debt. Quite a large debt.

The debt he started owing when he destroyed Gallifrey. When he started ruining lives. And his latest victim? Was _Rose Tyler_. And Donna Noble, And Martha Jones, and Jack Harkness. A lot of people. All. Because. Of _him_.

But back to the point.

All he ever wanted- _needed_. All he ever needed was someone. To not be _alone_.

Because when the Doctor is alone, he doesn't think. He gets angry. And when all the ice and fire and rage get too much- when he can't handle it- he starts to destroy. And meddle with things he shouldn't. Like _time_.

But when he has someone to protect, he remembers how fragile life can be; how wibbly wobbly time is.

When he's with a companion, he can be happy.

That's all he wants.

_But you're not alone, Doctor._

The Doctor rose his head from deep thought, and listened.

_What?_

Was someone there? How-?

_You're never alone, Doctor. And you never will be._

It was the Tardis_. _Oh_. Oh._

_Because no matter how many companions may leave or wither, as long as you're here, I will be. For you._

_The Tardis. _His oldest companion. Of course.

_Thank you_, the Doctor told her, _for staying with me._

_My pleasure, Theta._

_Theta. _The Doctor frowned. He hadn't been told that since- ...the Time War.

The Tardis called him by his real name. His true name; hardly ever calling him Doctor. But he hadn't really thought on it until now.

And that's how old the Tardis was, old enough to know secrets that he couldn't bear to share with any other living being.

That's what comforted him, to know he could always talk to her when he felt alone or scared.

The Doctor, after a long day of Daleks, and meta crisis' and loneliness- smiled a bit. Not much, but enough.

With a slightly uplifted mood, he moved around the console, pulling levers, pushing buttons and pumping strange controls, and entering coordinates excitedly as he waited to see what awaited him behind those blue wooden doors.

Prepared to handle anything time and space thew at him. The Doctor finally knew, that he could move on.

He could face and save the world alone with a smirk on his face. Because he knew, no matter how old he and the Tardis got, no matter how many Daleks, Cybermen, Masters, or foes he faced; he knew deep down, in his hearts...

That he wasn't.

**• **_Fin_**_~ •_**

**_•«-||-»• .•o_**


End file.
